EPSLA to hold recruiting Showcase for sophomore and junior boys

The top junior and sophomore prospects from The Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (EPSLA) will be on display for college recruiters on Thursday, June 11, at Haverford College in a new event.

The EPSLA Showcase will consist of two games, one for sophomores and one for juniors. Each game will feature a public school team vs. a private school team. The sophomore game will be played first at 5:00 p.m., and the junior game will follow immediately afterwards.

“The event will start a rigorous summer recruiting circuit that many of our players endure,” said EPSLA Vice-President and Episcopal Academy coach Andy Hayes. “We believe the best players in Eastern Pennsylvania will be showing their talents on June 11th at Haverford.”

This event has been created in the spirit of the EPSLA’s mission statement “to promote the growth of lacrosse in Eastern Pennsylvania.” The EPSLA has historically organized an end-of-year tournament for all high school teams in the region.

With the sanctioning of boys’ lacrosse by the Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Athletic Association (PIAA), the tournament is now in the hands of the state organization and is therefore limited to PIAA member schools – a new configuration that excludes some of the best programs in the region.

The EPSLA’s Showcase is expected to bring a new focus to all teams in Southeastern Pennsylvania by ensuring that all the top juniors and sophomores from member schools will have the opportunity to showcase their talents for college recruiters. Organizers of the event also hope that it will recapture the excitement of previous years’ tournaments.

The four teams for the Showcase will be selected through a tryout at Episcopal Academy on Sunday, June 7th. Each team will carry 22 players and will be coached by a staff of EPSLA head coaches selected by their peers.

Member coaches will nominate the top players from their teams by the end of the season, and a selection committee consisting of EPSLA coaches will determine which players will be invited to try out. Interested players should notify their high school coach if they wish to try out.

“It will be an honor for both players and coaches to participate in this event,” said Dean Curtis, EPSLA President and Pennsbury coach. “We have many elite lacrosse players in this area, and the Showcase will be a great way for them to get exposure to college coaches.”